Author

Eddie Burkhalter

Eddie Burkhalter is a reporter at the Alabama Political Reporter. You can email him at [email protected] or reach him via Twitter.

Inmate dies after falling ill at Birmingham work release center

A woman serving at the Birmingham Women’s Community Based Facility and Community Work Center died Monday after falling ill and being taken to a local hospital, according to the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office. Colony Nicole Wilson, 40, complained of feeling sick while at the Birmingham work release center and was taken to St. Vincent’s Hospital, … Continued

Eddie Burkhalter

May 12, 2020

Prison workers at Kilby, Tutwiler prisons test positive for COVID-19

An employee at the Kilby Correctional Facility and another worker at the Julia Tutwiler Prison for Women have tested positive for COVID-19, the Alabama Department of Corrections announced Monday. The two workers have self-quarantined and ADOC’s Office of Health Services is investigating whether any inmates or coworkers may have been exposed to the infected employee, … Continued

Eddie Burkhalter

May 11, 2020

Alabama ranks as 4th most open state despite rise in COVID-19 cases

Gov. Kay Ivey’s decision Friday to reopen more state businesses and relax more of her safer-at-home order starting Monday put Alabama as the fourth most open state in the nation, according to a state and local government lobbying firm’s analysis. The Alexandria, Virginia-based Multistate Associates lobbying firm on Monday moved Alabama from the 22nd most … Continued

Eddie Burkhalter

May 11, 2020

Inmate at overcrowded Kilby Prison tests positive for COVID-19

An inmate at the Kilby Correctional Facility in Montgomery has tested positive for COVID-19, becoming the ninth state inmate with a confirmed case of the virus. The inmate was exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 and was admitted to a local hospital, where he tested positive for COVID-19, the Alabama Department of Corrections said in a statement … Continued

Eddie Burkhalter

May 9, 2020

Prison worker: Officer exposed to COVID-19 was forced to work before inmate tests positive

After the Alabama Department of Corrections announced Wednesday that an inmate at the Hamilton Aged and Infirmed facility tested positive for COVID-19, the staff at Hamilton already had a pretty good idea about how the virus entered the building. One worker at Hamilton Aged and Infirmed told APR on Thursday that a correctional officer at … Continued

Eddie Burkhalter

May 8, 2020

Jones calls for continued social distancing, wearing masks amid partial reopening

Sen. Doug Jones, D-Alabama, on Friday urged Alabamians to heed Gov. Kay Ivey’s warning that, despite her decision announced earlier on Friday to relax more of the provisions of her “safer-at-home” order, COVID-19 is still with us, and still deadly. “I appreciate the fact that the Governor is doing all she can to walk a … Continued

Eddie Burkhalter

May 8, 2020

Alabama restaurants, bars, salons can begin opening Monday, governor says

Gov. Kay Ivey said Friday that she will relax more provisions in her “safer-at-home” order amid the COVID-19 crisis, including allowing restaurants, bars, gyms, barbershops and salons to reopen with social-distancing restrictions. The new order goes into effect Monday, May 11, at 5 p.m. and is set to expire on Friday, May 22, at 5 … Continued

Chip Brownlee, Eddie Burkhalter

May 8, 2020

Gov. Kay Ivey extends public health emergency, issues COVID-19 lawsuit protections

Gov. Kay Ivey on Friday extended the formal “public health emergency” for 60 days, beginning May 13. Ivey also issued another proclamation that provides liability protection for businesses and health care providers from being sued over COVID-19 matters if those businesses and health care providers “comply with or reasonably attempt to comply with applicable public … Continued

Eddie Burkhalter

May 8, 2020

Inmate at Alabama prison for aged and infirmed tests positive for COVID-19

An inmate at the Hamilton Aged & Infirmed facility has tested positive for COVID-19, becoming the 8th Alabama inmate to have tested positive for the virus, and a staff member at Holman Correctional Facility has also tested positive for the virus. The man, who has preexisting medical conditions, was taken to a local hospital after … Continued

Eddie Burkhalter

May 6, 2020

Jones reintroduces bill to stop unsolicited “live check” loans

U.S. Sen. Doug Jones, D-Alabama, and a Republican colleague on the Senate Banking Committee on Wednesday called for a prohibition on “unsolicited predatory loans” during the COVID-19 crisis. Jones and Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Arkansas, reintroduced their Unsolicited Loan Act, which would stop the practice of mailing high-interest loans to the public in the form of … Continued

Eddie Burkhalter

May 6, 2020